Debt To Pay
by Lightan117
Summary: "Are you, are you, Coming to the tree. Where I told you to run, So we'd both be free. Strange things did happen here No stranger would it be. If we met at midnight In the hanging tree." I remember that song...such a long time ago when all was peaceful. My people are no longer and I am all that is left. What more is there for me in this empty world? If all is taken from me?
1. Prologue

"_Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I've tasted of desire, I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice I think I know enough of hate. To say that for destruction ice. Is also great. And would suffice." __― __Robert Frost_

~oOo~

I've been running for so long.

Running from my past, my present, and I was not running towards my future because I knew what lie ahead of me. My fate...I couldn't escape it but I could delay it for as long as I could.

Not anymore.

I was sick of running.

All because of that damn dwarf.

He made me care, made me stop running to face my destiny; to face my end.

It's funny really. I always thought I'd die a horrible death in which no one would notice I was missing. Be nothing more than bones someplace where no one would even bother stepping over. Now...

Now I care, now I want to see tomorrow. I want to his that damn dwarf's laugh and smile. I want to be by his side forever like we promised each other before he fell deeper into madness. As he fell I knew the choice I had to make. I stopped running then. I planted my feet in the ground and turned to face the tiger at my back.

"_Shed no tears for me, love._" My dwarf side, his battle worn hand with callouses on palm, resting against my cheek.

"_Hush you stupid dwarf. You are not dying today._" I told him, reaching into my pocket for the smooth rock under my fingertips.

"_I love you._" He said with a weak smile, a single tear rolling down is face. "_I'm afraid I couldn't keep my promise._"

"_It will not be you breaking it._" I held the stone in my hand tight, feeling my strength crack the gem. I closed my eyes, feeling the power inside escape. "_Forgive me._" I opened my eyes, feeling the power flow through me. So close...

"_What are you...my love, no..._"

The gem shattered, the power seeping into my skin. I placed my hand on my dwarf's wound, allowing the power to escape to heal what had been hurt. Once the wound was healed I looked towards the sky, muttering a few words as the power took everything from me. I sent the power away, to the two who needed to see the light of day tomorrow.

"_Take all I have, heal the ones needed for tomorrow. My debt is paid._" I said to the watchers. My heart felt like it was going to burst from my chest.

I could hear Thorin...his voice faded as I lost the strength to keep my eyes open. My hand fell, the shards of the shattered gem falling to the ground, my body falling on the ice besides my king as I took my last breath.

"_I love you, my king under the mountain._" With that I fell into darkness with one last smile on my lips. The ground disappeared, the sky turned black, and I felt my body begin to float.

I gave into my fate.

Break the curse of the Durins.

Cure their madness; more like the King's Madness.

Once I found that dwarf, finding the feelings I had hidden inside me for so long, I had to stop running. He's told me that you can't run forever, you need to turn and fight for something. He was right. I couldn't run anymore. I was sick of it.

So I stood my ground.

I showed the world what I could do.

I gave up my life for that dwarf for he is worth more than any gold in that cursed mountain.

I love him.

~oOo~


	2. Second Reunion

"_And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." __  
><em>_― __Roald Dahl_

~oOo~

My family was once a noble house, royalty, princes and princesses living a perfect life without a worry in the world. I had my father and mother, king and queen along with my older sister and little brother all living under the same roof of the castle. My sister was going to get married to some young lord and my brother was training to be a knight at our grand home of Sky Temple. A glorious kingdom sitting atop of the Lonely Mountain. Our people knew nothing of war or loss for our Watchers were kind gods to us so me never needed or wanted for nothing. We prayed to our gods, give them our gifts, and celebrated them with every full moon that graced the sky.

But soon came war we could not avoid.

A war the threatened our peaceful life, sending our men and sons away forever.

Little did we know it would drive my father mad.

My father panicked for he refused to allow his only son of eleven years to go to war along side him and his best men. So my father did something that would curse my family for the remainder of my sentence for it was I who evened the bargain. My father sought the gods for a way to make sure no one would die in the coming battle but war always ends in blood and war must have it. No one can keep it away, not even our gods. That's where my father went wrong.

He called and they answered. Giving him a stone of power in condition that he would lose something most great to him and eagerly he accepted it, giving no second thoughts. And so, my brother and him went to war, bloodying the battle field but they came back.

That peace he bought would not last.

He had a debt to pay.

While at war my father flashed the stone, saying it was a stone the gods gave him that he and my brother cannot fell in battle. Little did my father know that the beauty of such a stone can corrupt the very hearts of men like any desire known to them. So the two little kingdoms my father went to war with turned against him; coming to claim what they thought was theirs.

So my kingdom burned.

I woke to screaming; waking from a nightmare I ran to my window to see my home on fire. Soldiers filled the streets as they killed anyone on sight. Then I heard screams down the hall. I grabbed my bow, a gift from my father when I was of age, only to walk on my older sister belly big with child cut down in front of my eyes. I reacted. My arrows flying true as I took down the men. By the time I reached her she was far too gone. I ran, my white nightgown already bloody with that of my sister as I ran to find the rest of my family.

But I was too late.

I held my baby brother in my arms as he died. My mother and father's bodies lay just a short distance from us. I cried till I heard men coming back, most likely in search of the one person still alive.

Me.

I grabbed my bow and made way to the one place I knew the stone was hidden. My father thought no one knew but I've watched from afar noticing the sudden change in my father. I followed him to the temple of our gods where he hid the stone from praying eyes. I killed many men to get to the temple; barring the door as more men came at me. I went to the hiding place, took out the stone and got on my knees before my gods as the pounding grew and grew.

"_I know you can hear me my gods, our watchers over our lives. I know you gave this stone to my father and cursed my family to their doom as a debt to be paid. Now, I call upon you! Hear me for I wish to strike a deal, to make the bargain even._" There was no answer. "_Take my life for as long as you wish it to be, I am yours. I will be your loyal servant till the end of time and after. In return I wish for my family and the rest of my kingdom to allow passage into the afterlife. That they may rest and be forgiven for any wrong done onto them. And that, when you have no use of me, allow me to join my family in the end._" I waited for their answer, the banging sped up until I was sure the door would break at any moment until suddenly...

It stopped.

I was met with silence as I stood. I walked to the door, removed the bar and swung them open wide.

Nothing.

There was nothing.

No one around but smoke and ash of the attack that once was.

I collapsed to the floor in pain as my arm began to burn. I look down and watched as the mark of my gods appeared. I began to cry softly as I made my way to the great ravine, my legs staggering. I fell to my knees, tears streaming down my face as I look down at the darkness below.

"_May you never be found you damn stone!_" I cried out as the tossed the stone into the never ending darkness.

"**Come now child. There is work to be done.**" I looked up at the sky, getting to my feet.

"What would you have me do?" With that I left my city to crumble and fade with time. I am the only one left who still remembers, who is the last of a once long line of my family.

I have watched cities rise and fall over and over as I roam. My gods lead me to one place to another, doing their bidding or anything they wish of me. True to my word I followed my orders like a loyal servant.

Until the end I time or they wish no more of me...

I will forever be chained...

~oOo~

A thousands years have past since that day and many has happened.

War.

Lost.

A great city raised.

A great city fell.

I have watched it all over the years, a silent watcher like that of my gods. I have talked with many people, learned many tongues, and have seen many things. With each day that has past the pain lessens so now that it just a dull ache in my chest. I have helped many people, saved and yet I have taken many. My life these some years have been nothing but slow. Usually I get a message from my gods about my next task but now, they are quiet. I don't mind, leaves me to relax and write on my book.

However, my break would not last long.

"**Travel to the east, near the coast where the sea starts. A girl, a seer with eyes of gold. Find her. Protect her. She is to follow you for a time.**" My gods spoke to me and I knelt on the ground.

"Of course my watchers. I will do as you command." I spoke and then they were quiet once more.

I gathered my things from my safe house and went out to saddle my horse. I rode for quite some time before I happen to stumble upon the most...unique happening.

A dwarf being harassed by humans.

How amusing.

"Now, now gentlemen. We must all get along." I said, pulling up a few feet before them. The dwarf looked familiar from where I sat but I couldn't be sure from where though. The man in charge of the small group came towards me, my hand going to the dagger on my waist as he neared.

"Now girl, you best git movin'. 'ant no arm going to that head of yours so just butt out. This is a man's business." The man said and I got off my horse. I stood a head or two shorter than him but that didn't stop my smirk from gracing my lips.

"Oh really? Last time I checked dear sir, a woman couldn't do this." I right hooked him one before the rest pounced on me. The dwarf jumped in and together get managed to knock the humans down a peg as the scrambled off. I sighed and brushed the dirt off my coat from where I was pushed down on the ground. "Are you alright?" I asked, coming face to face with the dwarf.

"Yes. Thank you, for the assistance I mean. I'll never live this down knowing that a woman came to my rescue." he said and the smile that graced his lips made the face come together with a name.

"Thorin."

"What?"

"Thorin Oakenshield. You are Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror. I remember now, I recognized your face. Your father threw a grand party back in Erebor that I manged to attend. I saw you with your brother and sister." I told him with a smile that he seemed to reflect at the mention of his lost home.

"Really? My father threw a great many parties in order for me to find a woman to wed. I'm surprised that a lady such as yourself was there." He said mockingly and I swatted him on the arm. "Now you attack a prince!"

"Oh hush you oaf. First a lady come to your aid and now you insult her?! Some prince I say." I told him and we both laughed.

"Well, I thank you dear lady. You were most brave." I said, raising my hand to kiss my knuckles.

"I get that from my father. Mother was furious when I told her I wanted a bow and dagger instead of dresses and silks. Thankfully, she had my older sister to dote on." The mention of my family made my heart ache but I kept my smile on.

"Surprisingly, I can't see you in fine dressed and silks. You would look rather..."

"What?"

"Dull." We laughed again.

"I better not keep from where ever you were heading. I have my own place to get too. I was nice seeing you again Thorin Oakenshield." I turned and got on my horse. "Good day."

"Wait." I stopped. "I have two questions." I nodded my head. "At the party...did we talk?"

"I was wearing a mask your highness. You could be talking to anyone." I said with a smirk. "And the second?"

"What is your name?" I smiled.

"My dear prince, where would the fun be if I told you that?" I told him.

"Will I ever see you again?"

"My dear prince, that is three questions but yes. I highly think we will meet again. Until then your highness." With that I left him with a smile on my face. I can certainly feel that we will see each other again. With this new addition to my company...I highly doubt my loneliness will be long.

Times are changing.

Something is stirring the world back into motion.

I can feel it in my bones.

~oOo~


End file.
